Sanjiv Goenka and Rishabh Pant [Source: AFP and AP Photos]Rishabh Pant is currently going through a very difficult time in the IPL 2026 season, both as a batsman and as a captain. Notably, his performances have not been up to expectations, and this has affected his team as well. On May 4, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) faced another loss, this time against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium. As a result of this defeat, LSG stayed at the bottom of the points table, having managed to win only two out of their eight matches so far.As the team’s chances of qualifying for the playoffs in the tournament are now very slim, coach Justin Langer was asked several questions about the team’s performance.Spotlight on Rishabh Pant's captaincy as LSG near IPL exitHowever, most of the attention was on Rishabh Pant’s role as captain. At the same time, Pant himself has been struggling with his batting. The former Delhi Capitals captain has scored only 204 runs in nine innings, with a strike rate of 128.30, which is considered below his usual standard.Notably, captaincy is not easy to handle, as it comes with pressure and responsibility. Pant was bought for ₹27 crore by the LSG, and owner Sanjiv Goenka backed him as captain for IPL 2025. However, the decision now seems to have backfired, as Pant has struggled with both leadership and batting. Even though LSG had other strong options like Nicholas Pooran and Aiden Markram, Pant was chosen, possibly due to his brand value, but results have not gone in the team’s favour.Rishabh Pant in a tough position due to captaincy, reckons LangerDespite Pant’s poor performance in IPL matches, Justin Langer defended him by pointing out his strong showing in a recent practice game. He explained that Pant had scored quickly and confidently just a couple of days before the match, which showed his true ability. Langer said,"We played a practice game here two days ago, and Rishi, I'm not sure of the exact final score, maybe 95 off 40 or 30 balls-you're just looking at it and you go, 'Oh my gosh, that's Rishabh Pant at his very best.'The Australian legend said that the IPL captaincy is a tough position and has taken a toll on Pant's performance. "I do think is that leadership is a tough position, you're carrying lots of pressure, and he knows that. He's carrying a lot of pressure for the team, and he does it, like all of us, with a smile on his face 98% of the time. The other 2% of the time, it's tough," the LSG coach added. Also Read: LSG Qualification Scenario For IPL 2026 Playoffs After Defeat Vs Mumbai IndiansLanger revealed that Pant’s decision to move down the batting order was not forced but was actually a selfless choice made for the benefit of the team. This allowed Nicholas Pooran to bat higher up, and the decision seemed to work at first, as Pooran scored an impressive 63 runs off just 21 balls. Langer added:"He selflessly moved down the order to let Nicky P bat, whose batting was unbelievable. So yeah, Rishi's not far off. As a captain in the IPL, or as a coach, you've got to keep fronting up, don't you? That's all you can do, and he'll keep fronting up and hopefully help us get some wins over the next few games," he asserted.How has IPL captaincy affected Pant's performance? Looking at Pant’s overall performance, his record as a captain has not been very strong. He has led teams like Delhi Capitals and LSG and has captained in 66 IPL matches, scoring 1678 runs with a strike rate of 140.06. On the other hand, when he is not the captain, his performance improves significantly. In 68 matches as a non-captain, he has scored 2079 runs with a much better strike rate of 151.97. This clearly shows that the added responsibility of captaincy might be affecting his game.Meanwhile, their next match will be against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on May 7. Also Read: Ryan Rickelton Issues Hardik Pandya Injury Update; Will MI Captain Return Vs RCB?
